The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-22
THE CYMRIC CHIEF.

THE CYMRIC CHIEF.
In old Snowdonia's realm Of clouds, whers
narrow winding trails
Thread through Caernarvon's smountaiI
peaks and mid the hills of Wales;
Upon high and beetling crag, far out above
the flood.
In long gone years of storm and strife mas
sive castle stood;
And he who owned its rugged tower, 1t:
acres, and its fiefs
Was boldest Of the iron hearts among the
Cymric chiefs.
Eovoiee like his the angry waves of turbu'
lence could tame,
No stronger arm when Saxon hordes across
the border came;
No deadlier sword in tourney flashed, nc
spear so quick to start
And find in battles whirl a sheath in some
strong foeman's heart;
His lances led i'll every fray, his huntSman'
echoing trills
In chase led on the boldest hearts among
Caernarvons hills.
Yet in the steel and iron hearts of this old
warlike race
A thread of gold wound in and out, with
many softer grace;
For kind were they to friend and kin, and
every vasSal knew
Their loves were never lightly placed, but
knightly and most true;
The gent!eSt maiden loved by them could
with her favors tame
The boldest of those dauntless chiefs who
bore Llewelyns name.
So years passed on; they lived and loved, they
conquered and they died,
And for century they stemmed the inva-
ding Saxon tide;
But still the hordes came rushing on in num-
bers like the sea-
Outnumbered, thinned, the Briton bands
were oft compelled to flee;
Though struggling fiercely for their land
against Overwhelming fate.
The Saxon warriors surged at last around
Llewelyns gate.
For years the chieftain held his own, the eagle
kept his nest,
And proudly waved his banners still upon
the mountains crest;
But hunger clutched each vassals heart with
cold and chilling hands,
While dlit and spear had sadly th:nned the
bravest of his bands;
Though struggling sternly through the years
the die was surely cast,
The eagles eyre on its crag must be despoiled
at last.
Then spoke the chieftan to his foe: "Protect
my child and wife,
Give each poor vassal the right to live, and
take my worthless life"
But stern the Saxon's answer came: "Thy
men shall harmless 60,
But thou, bold chief, thy wife and child be-
long unto thy foe;
Here is my pledge d, for all thy men, thy wife
belongs to me,
Whilst thou within my dungeon keep a fet-
tere1 slave shalt be-"
Then out upon the trembling air rang out
Llewelyn'S call;
Quick wife and child sprang to his side upon
the castle wall;
With ringing tones he bade his men throw
each gate open wide,
Then turning swiftly kissed his wife and
daughter al his side;
Quick flashed his falchion through their
hearts, and ere the startled foe
Recovered, he had raised their forms and
hurled them far below.
Then spake the warrior once again: "Oh,
brave but cruel foe
Thou'lt keep thy pledges for my men in sane
tity l know;
Bnt never yet did foe despon the wives
Llewelyns love,
And death bat once again unlteS the eagle
and the dove.
Thy dungeon chains were never meant for
sIch a one as l;
The Cymric chiestain breads thy bonds, but
does not fear to dien'
Then with war cry on his lips, and eyes
which fiercely flashed,
He turned toward the dizzy cliff and o'er its
rampant dashed;
But as he fell, they watched and saw, with
'stonshed lips apart,
His rusty blade was swiftly drawn and
plunged into his heart.
TheIwa*es bore off the silent group, couched
on their watery bed,
Amid the silence of the crowd who watched
them overhead,
And never has the sea givenup Llewelyn and
his dead.
The castle stands in ruin now, and silence
most profound,
Except the moaning of the sea, the winds
unceasing sound,
Where Gwalias watching mountain crests
are crcled all around
A truthful story One of those time-tried
and thrilling tales.
Which still descend from sire to son among
the homes of Wales.
Il Edgar Jones, in InttrOtedn.